The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-03

shook his hand, and edging my way toward
him gathered from the talk that he had
won a large sum of money. So | ap
preached with my tray of soaps and per.
fumeries and remarked in a regular CheaT
John style: Snow all you that have put your
money on the right horse help poor devil
to make an honest living-the finest soar
and the best smelling perfumery in the
world. Have bottle, sir?" l addressed
the question to Samuel "Why, certnly,'
he answered, and he handed me dollar
bill and l handed him a bottle of per-
fumery. The price was twenty-five cents,
so offered him his change; but he declined
to take it, saying, good-naturedly: so,
that's all right, old man" Samuel was
the very soul of generosity when he wished
to be- l thanked him profusely and then
glibly remarked to the group: This max
ing myself millionaire selling soap and
perfumery is slow work. I've got few
hundred dollars between a couple of mat
tresses in my garnet in Chicago, and if one
of you keen ones will tell me which horses
are going to win tomorrow pll bring it out
and make my fortune" l kept my eyes
fixed on Samuel as l said this, and no.
ticed, to my delight, that he appeared in
terested. When the bell rang for the next
race the rest OF the group left me, but Sam
uel remained behind.
'Old man." said he, laying his hand on
my shoulder, ''you make me think Of q
dear friend of mine who was lost at sea a
few years ago He was a splendid, whole
souled fellow, and for the sake of the re-
semblance l feel like doing you favor.
Don't bring your money out here; you're
sure to lose it. I've got rooms at No. -
Lake street, and if you can manage hos $40
around there tomorrow about noon leah
put you in the way OF investing whatever
you've got between those mattresses so as
to increase it tenfold. But NUNS the
word; you UNDERESTIMATE l deluged him
with my thanks, assured him that
would not fail to call upon him the next
day, and he reioined his companions at the
| quarter stretch.
The next day at noon found me at Sam.
uels den on Lake street. He began tho
conversation by inquiring if l was game
and if l thought knew good thing when
l saw it. 1 said l thought l was pretty
game and that could appreciate o good
thing at sight. Whereupon, having first
locked the door Samuel drew out his
wallet and laid on my knee five, ten and
a twenty dollar greenback. They looked
as if they had just come off the press
"Why do yol show me these!" 1 inquired.
81 will sell you all the green goods like
those that you want at a hundred dollars a
thousand" Samuel replied. 81 generally
charge good d cal more, but I've taken a
fancy to you on account of your resemb-
lance to the dear friend of whom [ Spoken
'You don't mean it." l cried, in an ex-
cited voice. Now, amt these genuine
| greenbaciSs' But Of course they are not or
you'd not be offering them for sale. Why,
it's the chance of a lifetime. I'll go right
home and get all the money I've got and be
back here IN half an hour"
Calm yourself said Samuel ''there's
no hurry. Parting with your little all that
| you've laid up for a rainy day is a serious
matter. Better test these goods before
buying. Suppose on your way home for
your goods-by the way, how much did you
say you had" replied that thought l
could scrape together $500. s'What was
going to suggest" he continued" was that
on your way home you should go into
bank with samples Of these goods and see
if they are not pronounced genuine. He
gave me two or three bills and left him,
promising to be back in half an hour When
l reappeared 1 carried with me big valise
containing the identica! black bag and con-
Maine. l explained to Samuel that had
brought with me my entire stock Of soaps
and perfumeries, intending to make break
for the far West with my fortune and look
about for town in which 1 could start
drug store. He was good enough to say
that the scheme was a sensible one and
when | exhibited the ticket which / had
purchased for Omaha he remarked with
glance at his watch that if we were prompt
in transacting business | could catch the
l:l5 train, the fastest one of the day. "All
right" said !, 'rve got my money ready"
He went to a closet in his room and re-
turned with black sachel, the precise
counterpart of the one | had in my valise.
Then he counted outsS, 900, placed the pack
ages in the sachel, locked it and handed
me the key. / was relieved by hearing a
loud knock at the door, and SamuePs ex-
clamation, ''Who can that be?-hurry the
bag into the closet while | go and get
rid of my caller" / hurried the bag into
the closet, carrying my valise along with
it and in tWinkling made change. The
bag with the IS, 900 went into my valse, the
bag with the brown paper in 1t was left on
the floor of the closet. On Samuel's return
he remarked: II find that my watch has
run down, and that it is later than thought
for. I've hailed hack for you, and if you
drive fast you'll catch your train, but you
haven't minute to lose. I'd accompany
you to the depot, but a pressing engage
ment detains me.n
That suited me exactly. l went to the
closet, and taking my valise in one hand
and the black sachel in the other, jumped
into the hack and informed tie driver I'd
give him an extra dollar if he'd catch the
ITO train for the East. He sent his horses
along on gallop and l managed to scram-
BILE on to the hind platform of the last car
of the train as it was moving out of the
depot. Two days later was back in Maine.
l had spent on Samuel Sl,S00; and my ex-
penses to Boston and Chicago amounted to
about 5000, making total of $1,000 had
received from that philanthropist $1,000, so
that there was balance in my favor of
$4,000 as the result of my acquaintance
with him. For day or two after my-re-
turn, exulted over what l had done
eXulted in secret, for | took nobody into
my confidence. Then came revulsion of
feeling, and began to loath the sum that
had made by overreaching professional
scoundrel. 1t seemed little better than
blood money. At length this feeling be-
came such a torment that l resolved to re-
fund all ] had got out of Samuel except
my naked investment of $780, Accord
ingly l mailed certified check for SC, 200
to leading Chicago minister, stating